France striker Kylian Mbappe revealed that his new club, Real Madrid, will not permit him to participate in the Olympics in Paris this summer.
The 25-year-old had expressed his desire to play in his home Games, but he was not included in France’s provisional Olympic squad announced on June 3. This decision was due to Real Madrid’s policy that any player competing in Euro 2024 would be ineligible for the Olympics.
Mbappe has agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer once his contract with Paris St-Germain expires on June 30.
“My club’s position was very clear, so from that moment on, I think I won’t be taking part in the Games,” said Mbappe, who is part of the France team that will begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Austria in Dusseldorf on Monday.
“That’s just the way it is, and I understand that too. I’m joining a new team in September, so it’s not the best way to start an adventure.
“Now I think I’m going to wish this French team all the best. I’m going to watch every game. I hope they’ll bring home the gold medal.”
The men’s Olympic football competition kicks off on July 24, ten days after the Euro 2024 final, and concludes on August 9, a little over a week before the start of the La Liga season.
The Olympic football tournament features under-23 teams, but each nation is allowed to include three over-age players in their squad.
France, two-time European champions, are among the favorites to win Euro 2024.
Manager Didier Deschamps aims to become only the second person, after Germany’s Berti Vogts, to win the Euros both as a player and a manager.
Match stats
- Austria and France have faced each other 25 times, with France winning 13 matches, Austria winning nine, and three ending in draws.
Austria has been impressive recently, remaining unbeaten in 15 of their last 16 matches (12 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss).
Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautovic could become the first Austrian players to participate in three major tournaments.
France, two-time European Championship winners (1984 and 2000), have reached the final in three of their last four major tournaments.
France is unbeaten in European Championship and World Cup matches on German soil, with five wins and three draws.
This is France manager Didier Deschamps’ sixth European Championship—three as a player (1992, 1996, 2000) and three as a manager (2016, 2020, 2024). He is one win away from securing his 100th victory in charge (99 wins, 30 draws, 24 losses).
Olivier Giroud is France’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals. Only Hugo Lloris (145) and Lilian Thuram (142) have more caps than Giroud (133).
Kylian Mbappe has been directly involved in 24 goals (14 goals, 10 assists) in his last 14 appearances for France.